Myanmar and Thailand holds discussion on border crisis and heavy meeting during MLC meeting

YANGON/BANGKOK (Bernama): Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara and his Myanmar counterpart Than Swe discussed the ongoing situation in Myanmar at the sidelines of the 8th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Beijing.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kanchana Patarachoke said Thailand expressed its wish to see parties in Myanmar resolve the conflict through peaceful dialogue. Parnpee also offered Thailand’s support as a close neighbour.

"The Thai side also raised the initiative to scale up humanitarian assistance for the Myanmar people living along the Thai-Myanmar border, which the Myanmar side agreed with.

"Both sides are ready to establish a taskforce to discuss details of implementation. The Myanmar side will soon send a working team to Thailand to discuss this matter. If the initial phase of implementation is successful, other aid agencies may be invited to have a role in the future,” she said in a statement.

Kanchana said Thailand believes that scaling up humanitarian assistance along the Thai - Myanmar border will help address many concerns and responses to aspirations of the international community, which is in line with the implementation of ASEAN’s 5-Point Consensus.

"It is Thailand’s hope that this initiative will lead to constructive engagement between Myanmar and ASEAN, and between Myanmar and the international community,” it said.

In a separate statement, Parnpree expressed appreciation for Myanmar’s assistance in the repatriation of Thai nationals from Laukkaing, and reaffirmed Thailand’s goodwill towards Myanmar and support for Myanmar’s peace process. - Bernama